Payback
by Suki59
Summary: More Sookie and Eric fun! Number 7 in my vamp series. Please read my other stories: Thoughts in the Night, Taking Action, Eric's Story, One Year Later, Pam's Take on Things and Back to Normal before Payback.
1. Chapter 1

Charlaine Harris owns the rights to all of this.

A/N: This is the seventh story in my series. Please read Thoughts in the Night, Taking Action, Eric's Story, One Year Later, Pam's Take on Things and Back to Normal before starting Payback. Enjoy!

Sookie

When we all got back to Shreveport from our ill-fated honeymoon cruise, Eric and I took care of Pam until she was healed. Eric worked at Fangtasia while Pam was at home recovering and he brought home a human every night for Pam to feed from. There were many fangbangers to choose from, of course, but Pam had given Eric a list of humans that she knew and trusted with our home address. I suspected that Eric was glamoring them anyway when he took them back to their cars and I wasn't too happy about that.

Eric and I had started to have some disagreements since we got home. Maybe it was the pressure of the whole cruise incident. Maybe he wasn't so okay with the new bond with Bill after all. I'm not sure what exactly was going on with us, but it made me uneasy. We both suspected that some group like the Fellowship, if not that exact group itself was most likely responsible for the sinking of the Mina. Eric wanted to find the perpetrators and kill them himself (but not before torturing them naturally). I told him that that kind of vigilante justice and hate-driven violence was exactly why those people hated vampires in the first place. If Eric killed those people without benefit of a trial, wasn't he just as bad as they are? As you can imagine, this subject was the cause of many fights between us. I found myself back to the mindset that I had way before Eric and I were married. Maybe being in the world of vampires wasn't such a good thing for me. The fighting got so bad that on more than one occasion I found myself alone in the blue bedroom at night staring at the diamonds on my left hand wondering whether or not I had made a mistake. On those nights, I would cry myself to asleep and then get mad at the thought that both Bill and Eric knew I was crying and I had no privacy whatsoever. Damn double blood bond.

Pam's burns were all better as were her spirits when I started talking about going back to the beach house. I wanted to return to our peaceful lives and put all this cruise mess and it's aftermath of arguing behind us. Eric and I needed time alone. But Eric didn't want to go back. In fact, even after Pam returned to Fangtasia, Eric continued to work there every night. I started to suspect that he was avoiding being at home with me, and I was not happy.

The FBI had been in touch with us several times since our return from California. They interviewed each of us over the phone and I suspected were investigating all of us as well. Who knows who the real target was on that ship. It could have just been a general hate crime against all supes, or it could have been an attempt to kill any one of the individuals on board. It crossed my mind that I could help with the investigation by listening to human suspects, but selfishly I just didn't want to go down that road. If the FBI knew what I could do, then even more of my free will would be taken away from me. I was already feeling boxed in by vampires. But I did feel a little guilty for not offering my help.

Eric came home from work one night and I was still awake in the den watching T.V. He came in and sat beside me with a serious look on his face, so I turned the T.V. off and faced him on the sofa.

"Bill and I are going back to L.A."

"Why?"

"We think we know who is behind the bombing of the Mina."

"So, let's call the FBI and tell them. You don't need to be there."

"We don't have the kind of evidence that would be helpful to law enforcement. We can take care of this ourselves."

"Oh no. I don't like the sound of that at all."

"Sookie, don't start this again. This is what we do. This is what I am. Do you want the people responsible to get away with the killing? Many innocent people, both supe and human died in those waters."

"You don't have to tell me that Eric. I was there, remember? No one wants justice more than I do, but killing the suspects without a trial is wrong."

"I know how you feel, but I am going. There is nothing you can do to change my mind. Bill and I are flying to L.A. tomorrow night. I hope you'll still be here when I get back."

And then he left the room. He hopes I'll still be here? What was that supposed to mean? Maybe things between us were worse than I thought. I dragged myself up to the blue room and fell onto the bed. I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling, wondering what I should do.


	2. Chapter 2

Sookie

The following day I got a call from the FBI. They asked if I was familiar with a group called the Fellowship of the Sun. Apparently, they had traced some money used to purchase explosives back to an account that belonged to a man (now deceased) that had once been a member of the Fellowship in Los Angeles. Those explosives were purchased four days before the Mina sailed. I asked how the man with the account had died and he had been drained of his blood two nights ago. Then I asked where he was found and held my breath. Los Angeles. Okay, so it wasn't Eric. I told the agent what I knew about FotS but that I didn't know any members personally. I hung up wondering how much Eric knew about the FBI's investigation.

I spent that whole day contemplating my choices. I could stay in Shreveport and wonder every night what Eric was doing and whether or not he was safe. I could go to the beach house and do the same. Or I could go to L.A. and try and be of some help to Eric. Maybe I could listen to some humans and use my telepathy to aid in the investigation after all, but without letting the FBI in on my secret. Maybe I could convince Eric and Bill to turn whatever they learned over to the FBI. At least I would know what was going on and not be sitting here worrying.

I started packing my bags and was waiting in the living room when Eric came downstairs that night. "I'm coming with you."

He didn't look too pleased about that. "Suit yourself."

The trip was a tense one. Bill could sense my feelings, of course. And it didn't take a blood bond to know that there was some sort of trouble between me and Eric. We hardly spoke. On the plane, Eric just sort of glared at me and I wondered what was going through his mind. All I felt from him through the bond was a simmering anger. We got checked into our hotel before dawn. We were staying at a hotel called Dark Days Inn on Supe Plaza in Beverly Hills. It was the fanciest vampire hotel I had ever seen. I fell asleep with my back to Eric while he silently watched T.V. on his side of the big bed.

I slept until noon the next day and then walked outside to check out the area. I ate lunch at the Hair of the Dog which was full of Weres as well as tourists. I let my shields down and listened in, but heard nothing about any kind of terrorist plot. Most of the tourists were having curious thoughts about Weres in their wolf form and many of those thoughts were x-rated of course. Ick.

After lunch, I walked up and down Sunset Blvd. looking in the shops and watching all the people. I ended up in front of the huge vampire bar Bloodbath where tourists were posing in front and taking pictures of themselves and each other. I sat on a bench along the very beautiful sidewalk and thought about Eric. I hated how things were between us. I missed our closeness and our connection. We had become such a team, and now I felt that we were drifting apart. Did other married couples go through times like this? Maybe they did, but probably not over the same issues that Eric and I had.

As it started to get dark, I went back to the hotel determined to try and set things right between us again. I took off my clothes and slipped into bed with Eric and watched his face while he slept on his back. He was so beautiful. Then I pulled the sheet down and let my eyes wander over his perfect body. I knew every inch and had spent many nights exploring this body. And this body had given me many nights of pleasure. I couldn't remember when we last made love. It seemed like we were always mad at each other lately. I decided that somebody had to be the first to extend the olive branch, and that somebody was going to be me. I laughed as I thought of the phrase "taking the bull by the horns." But I was planning on grabbing just a single horn, so to speak. I straddled Eric's thighs and bent my head down to take him into my mouth. It was easy to get him all in when he was soft, but that state didn't last too long of course. I was concentrating on my favorite hobby when I felt the steady hum of his sleep state end and his awake state began. His hands caressed my hair and a low moan came from his lips. I reached up with one hand and took one of his in mine as our fingers intertwined in a silent message. We were together again. That felt good. And apparently what I was doing with my tongue and lips felt pretty good as well judging from the sounds Eric was making. I retrieved my hand and put it to better use on my little project and knew that I was succeeding as Eric's hips began to move in rhythm with my hands and mouth. As he came, I heard some sort of mangled exclamation through gritted teeth. Was it in English even? Guess it doesn't matter.

While he was recovering, I crawled up his body and carefully sat on his open mouth which had already started to form a smile when he realized where I was going. I placed my hands on the headboard and closed my eyes while Eric did his magic. The man knows just how to please me and in record time I was begging for mercy until he released me from my anguish by biting into my inner thigh. Then the world exploded with pleasure for me. My breathing hadn't even slowed down and I had my forehead resting between my hands on the headboard when I felt a rush of air, knowing that Eric was using that vampire speed to position himself behind me and I cried out as he roughly entered me with a loud grunt. This was not our usual slow sensual lovemaking, but a hard messy fast makeup fuck and I welcomed it with open legs. Eric was holding onto me with both hands on my breasts and pounding me with vampire strength. I came loudly two more times before he finally had his own powerful orgasm and then we both collapsed back onto the bed, grabbing onto each other and holding tightly.

I was nestled into his neck, covering it with kisses and he had my hand up to his lips, kissing each fingertip. "I've missed you, lover."

"Me too. I hate how much we've been fighting."

"I know. So do I." And then he started to grin, "But it was almost worth it for that, was it not?" And then we both started to giggle and playfully kiss until the kissing got more serious and his tongue filled my mouth hungrily. He rolled me onto my back and I gasped as I realized that we were going to do it again.

And that time, it was the usual emotion-filled romantic passionate lovemaking that I had become accustomed and addicted to. And just like that, we were back.


	3. Chapter 3

Sookie

Eric and I were sitting in the restaurant in the lobby of our hotel when Bill arrived. I was finishing my dinner when Bill and Eric started to make their plan for the night. I gave Eric a look, reminding him what we had discussed. After the mind-blowing reconnecting sex and before Bill joined us at the table, Eric and I had been having a frank discussion about what exactly would be happening here in L.A. I promised to listen out with my shields down and tell Eric everything I heard and Eric promised not to indiscriminately kill anybody. He agreed that he would gather information and share it with me and then we would decide together what to tell the FBI. We were on a fact-finding mission, not a vengeful murderous rampage.

Eric asked Bill if he had fed. "Room service." And then he looked away. I knew from feeling the bond earlier that he had done more than take a bite from whomever he had over for dinner and I blushed as I stared into my plate. Then I blushed even deeper when I thought of what Bill must have been feeling from me earlier when Eric and I were…um…making up. This double bond thing was so weird.

The three of us decided to start off at Bloodbath and go from there. The front entrance was a huge open mouth and two giant blood covered fangs hung down on either side of the double doors. Tourists lined up to pose beside the fangs and a very bored vampire snapped photos that were processed later and available for purchase inside. Somebody was making a lot of money. Inside there were two stories with several dance floors and four actual bars. There was also a roped-off V.I.P. lounge where celebrities and others who preferred privacy could hang out. It was surrounded with heavy red velvet drapes and a beautiful brunette vampire manned the rope with her clipboard in hand. I snuck a peek inside as we went by but didn't recognize anyone. The three of us found a table in the center of the upstairs main room and ordered drinks and I let my shields down and started listening. Just like in any bar, most people's thoughts were about sex. Drinking, sex, dancing, sex. Boring, boring, boring. This went on for awhile. _Tits, ass, sex, cute butt, nice knockers, sex, big boobs, big dick, fellowship. _What? I jerked my head in the direction that I thought fellowship came from. I felt Eric's head turn as he followed my gaze. I watched a tall red haired man disappear through the crowd and then I saw Eric right behind him. And then Bill right behind Eric. I took a deep breath and sat back, nursing my drink and listening for anything else.

Eric

I was very pleased that things between Sookie and me had obviously improved. Since our return from the Mina incident, we had not been getting along. She had become increasingly angry with me whenever I spoke to her about investigating the bombing of the Mina. I couldn't exactly just let it go. That is not in our nature. I had been in touch with Stan Davis and his people almost every night. There was a nationwide vampire investigation, and so far the leads pointed to that ridiculous FotS group as well as possibly another. It was believed that the Los Angeles branch of FotS had bankrolled the attack, but the actual planting of the bombs had been done by a different organization, some sort of para-military hate group. And they may be based in Louisiana. I wondered if perhaps I was the intended target or Pam or Compton. I had spoken to the FBI when they called, and Sookie had as well, but their methods of investigating were sorely limited.

Unfortunately, some idiot had accidentally drained the one suspect that we were able to capture in California. Because of the nature of his death, the FBI would be closely watching the California vampires, so it was decided that Compton and I would fly out to pick up where they had left off. I knew that Sookie would be furious, but I had to go. I was surprised when she told me she wanted to accompany us, but thought that perhaps her telepathic skills could be of use, and I preferred to be her protector rather than leaving her with Pam anyway. The plane trip was unpleasant due to our ongoing argument, but I knew that I was doing what I needed to do to bring the killers to justice. I sat and watched her on the plane, thinking of how much I loved her and how close I came to losing her, and I knew that I would enjoy killing those responsible. I seethed with anger that the bastards still walked the earth.

It's true that most of the conflict between Sookie and me was because of my vengeful nature and her wish that I let others solve the crime. But if I am being truthful, I was also still pissed about her bond with Compton. Outwardly, I hoped I seemed accepting of it. Admittedly, I may have been short with her from time to time without explanation. It's just that sometimes it ate at me knowing that she was connected to his feelings at all times. He even freely admits to still loving her. But she is mine. Mine.

After weeks of True Blood and Sookie's cold shoulder, you can imagine my surprise when I woke to her talented mouth on my erection. I had no idea what had happened while I slept to change her attitude towards me, but I was grateful for it. We made love like old times, and I felt the happy click of our hearts reconnecting as well. Sookie agreed to help with her telepathy and I agreed not to go in anywhere killing without reason.

We were sitting at a table in Bloodbath when I detected Sookie's heightened interest in a tall red haired human. I followed him as he made his way out of the bar, and Compton was right behind me. I felt relatively safe leaving Sookie in a crowded public place until my return. As I had promised Sookie earlier, my intention was to simply follow this man and gather information, but it became quickly evident that I would not be able to keep my promise to Sookie.


	4. Chapter 4

Eric

Compton and I followed the red haired man downstairs and out the back door into an alley. We stopped and watched as he walked across the lawn next door and into the front door of the church of the Fellowship of the Sun. Compton waited outside the side door of the church as I rose to peer into the upstairs windows. There were lights on in one room in particular and I heard a room full of people having some sort of ceremony. I could see about twenty humans wearing heavy black robes with large hoods pulled up to conceal their faces. Some seemed to be praying out loud and others were silent. One man who seemed to be the leader was standing in the front of the room beside a closed coffin. From my vantage point all I could see of the coffin was the foot of it and there was clearly a man lying on top and his feet were bound loosely with a silver chain. Vampire.

The leader turned to the vampire and asked if he had any last words. "You will all die. If not by your own kind's judicial system, then by my kind. We know of your part in the sinking of the Mina, and you will all perish for it." My eyes grew wide. That vampire had an accent and I recognized the voice. He was the Japanese vampire who had come to my aid when Pam and I were rescued from the sea. I knew that I had made a promise to Sookie not to act on what I discovered, but I owed this vampire, and he was about to meet his final death. Just at that moment, the red haired man that we had been following burst into the room, pulling up his hood to cover his face and he said, "I am here," as he produced a wooden stake and held it high. There were loud murmurs from the group who had been watching and praying as the red haired man walked up to the front of the room towards the leader by the coffin.

I felt that I could wait no longer, so I dropped to the ground and grabbed Compton around his torso and flew back up to the window. We crashed through the glass and began killing our way through the crowd. The red haired fool approached me immediately with the stake raised in his hand. I snapped his wrist and flung the stake out the same window I had just shattered before tearing the flesh out of his neck. I made my way to the coffin and removed the silver chains at the Japanese vampire's feet and wrists. I felt the chains sear the flesh of my palms, but continued to fight. It did not take long for the three of us to kill all the humans. When it was over, we simply walked down some stairs and out the side door. In the alley, the Japanese vampire bowed to me and said, "Daniel Ito." Compton and I both said our names and we parted. I checked the front of my shirt and it was spattered with blood, so I took it off and turned it inside out. Compton did the same. We both smoothed our hair back and stepped through the back door of the bar and climbed the steps to find Sookie.

Sookie

Eric and Bill hadn't been gone for very long, but I was still starting to worry a little. I felt through the bond that they were both very excited about something. I still had my shields down, but heard nothing of interest while they were gone. I felt fairly confident that Eric would not break his word to me, and so I was expecting a report of what he and Bill found, and had already started to think of what I was going to say when I called the FBI. I was relieved to see both Eric and Bill walking towards me, but something looked wrong. I stood and walked in their direction and we met in front of the bar. "What happened?"

"We'll explain it later, Sookie. Are you ready to go?" Eric reached for my hand to lead me towards the stairs. His palm had an odd texture and I looked down. As I turned his hand face up, I recognized the marks.

"Those are chain link burns. From a silver chain." He withdrew his hand and put in into his jeans pocket, looking guilty. "And, oh my god, is that _blood _on your breath? What have you done? And your shirt, both of your shirts. You'd better tell me right now what is going on, Eric." I could feel my temper flaring. They were both definitely pinked up. Bill was looking sheepishly around the room and avoided my stare. I guess Eric decided to not even bother lying to me.

"You know what we are, Sookie. Let's not do this here. We did what we do. It's done now. Let's go." He reached for my hand again, but this time I snatched it back.

"You gave me your word. I trusted you. You broke a promise to me! No, don't touch me. Just leave me alone." I was seething as I turned to find the stairs. Eric had clearly fed on someone. Had he killed someone? Had he cheated on me? I was starting to feel panicked. I needed to get out of there. I looked back to make sure that Eric wasn't following me (he wasn't), and when I turned back around I ran smack into a tall man leaving the V.I.P. lounge. He reached for my arm to steady me as he said, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Oh my god. It was Alexander Skarsgard. What are the odds?

"Yes, I'm sorry. That was my fault."

"Hey, you're the girl from the Ivy. I remember you." _Wow. She's beautiful. Damn. Wedding ring. _ (My shields were still down.)

"Uh, yes. It's nice to see you again. Again, I'm sorry I bumped into you. Goodnight."

I turned to see a livid and scary Eric with icy slits for eyes watching me.

As I walked away, I had the briefest thought. Just for an instant I wished I were still single.

I walked back to the hotel and started packing my bags.


	5. Chapter 5

Sookie

I was on a plane headed for Shreveport before I even had time to think about what I had done. This is how I used to handle problems in my relationships. I thought I had progressed beyond that, but here I am, regressing back to my old self and not happy about it. I looked at my watch. Eric wouldn't have time to follow me home tonight. Did I want him to? I don't know. I was so confused. When I saw him and he had clearly just had someone else's blood, I was just filled with anger and jealousy. I know how vampires react when they drink from a human. Would he have sex with someone else? It was too upsetting to even think about. I had trusted him, and yet he had clearly gone against his word to me. I know what he is. Can any vampire be trusted? Have I made a mistake marrying Eric? I felt the tears start and looked out the window at the black night.

Eric

I wanted to have a chance to explain to Sookie what had happened, but needed to get her out of the bar first. Unfortunately, she realized that I had clearly been in a fight and had fed on humans and she lost her temper. There is a huge difference between feeding during an attack and feeding while feeling sexual pleasure, and I assumed that Sookie understood that, but maybe I was wrong. I sensed jealousy through the bond as well as anger. Surely she didn't think that I had been unfaithful to her. As she stormed off, I watched her run into that actor that she likes and I know she wanted him. I wanted to level the room and it took all my willpower not to drain the motherfucker. I saw how he looked at her.

I waited at the bar with Compton until I had time to cool off. I wanted to speak to Sookie, but I knew that we were both upset and should wait until our moods had leveled off a bit. I watched that actor to make certain he hadn't followed Sookie, but soon he was back in the V.I.P. room dancing on a table. Idiot. When I sensed that Sookie had calmed down, Compton and I went back to the hotel. I walked into the room and saw that her suitcase was gone and put my fist through the wall. I thought we were past that childish stunt, but apparently I was wrong.

Sookie

When I walked into the baggage claim area in Shreveport, Pam was waiting for me. I felt a dejavu since I had dreamed something like this once a long time ago when I was at the beach house.

"Thanks for coming, Pam. I guess Eric called you."

"Yes. I am sorry to see that you have had a disagreement."

"Yeah, you could say that, but I don't think I want to talk about it." I was thinking that I didn't want to talk about it with another vampire, but saying that would be rude.

"As you wish. Let me just let Eric know I have you and we can be on our way." She was texting as we walked to the car.

I cried myself to sleep in the blue room feeling very lonely and very sorry for myself. Was marriage this hard for everybody, or was it just because I married a vampire?

I slept half the day the next day, but then dragged myself out of the house, needing to see my girlfriends. I drove to Bon Temps and fortunately, Amelia was home. Octavia was at the library. I told Amelia what had happened and cried on her shoulder while she said a lot of there-theres and patted my back. She made me some soup and listened like a good friend. But then when I asked how things were with Tray, her face lit up and she went on and on about how great things were. Her brain was practically singing with joy and the mental images of great sex all over my house were starting to gross me out. When she told me it was time for her to pick up Octavia, I took that as my cue to leave. I started to drive to Merlotte's but then I thought I can't exactly cry on Sam's shoulder about Eric. A guy, even as good a friend as Sam, is not going to commiserate the way a girlfriend can. I turned around and started driving to Tara's house. I thought I should try and call her first, but then saw that my phone battery was dead. Oh well. Maybe she wouldn't mind a surprise visit.

Fortunately, JB was still at work and Tara was home. I was so happy to see her. We hadn't had a good heart to heart in awhile and I wanted her advice. She had been involved with two different vampires in the past and I knew if anybody could see things from my perspective, she could.

She poured us each a cup of tea and we sat at the kitchen table while I told her what had been going on with Eric. I told her that I wondered if I could ever really trust him and that I was even having doubts about the fact that I had chosen to marry a vampire. They are co consumed with revenge and violence and it all seemed so completely foreign to me. She listened like a good friend, but when it came her turn to speak, she just started to cry.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Oh Sookie. I wonder if I made a mistake marrying JB. Maybe all marriages suck, I don't know." And she put her face in her hands and sobbed.

"What do you mean? I thought things were great with you two. What's going on?"

She stopped crying and looked me in the eye. "I think he's having an affair."

"No! I don't believe that. Why would you think that?"

"He's out a lot at night. He comes home late from work. At first when I asked him about it, he said he was just working late, but then once I called him there and he wasn't working. So when he got home two hours later he said he had been at a political meeting. A political meeting! Can you see JB at some kind of political meeting? I doubt if he even knows the difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. I knew he was lying." I knew he was too. JB was never exactly the sharpest tool in the shed and I just couldn't see him discussing political issues with anyone.

"He's also been obsessed with asking me about my relationships with vampires. He knows that I dated one and was abused by another, and he's become consumed with the subject. I keep telling him that all that is in my past and means nothing to me now. But honestly, I think he might be having an affair with a vampire."

"JB? I don't believe that. I don't even know of any female vampires around here. I mean there are quite a few in Shreveport…but no, I just don't believe it."

"I'm telling you, Sookie, a woman knows when something is going on."

I stayed awhile and consoled Tara, and suddenly my problems didn't seem so bad. Gran once told me that if you put all your problems in a bag and set it in the center of a circle of your friends and all your friends put their bags in the center too, you'd want your own bag back. I was starting to see what she meant.

It was dark by the time I left Tara's and I started to make my way back to the main road to go home. As I was pulling out onto the road, I spotted JB's truck and started to honk, but then stopped myself. He didn't turn to go home, but headed away from his house. Instinctively, I turned and started to follow him.

He wound through some little back roads, and I dropped back so I wouldn't look suspicious. But then I remembered it was JB and he was very unlikely to catch on that he was being followed. Poor guy—not too bright.

He pulled onto the old Stetson property that was an abandoned farm. The house had been torn down years ago but the barn still stood. I had always heard the property was "tied up in probate," although I have no idea what that meant. Was JB meeting his new love interest in the barn for a tryst? I parked by the entrance to the farm, and left my purse in the car and keys in the ignition in case I wanted to make a quick getaway. I tiptoed through the overgrown weeds and as I approached the barn, I saw about ten cars parked around the side and the barn itself was lit with lanterns and I heard men's voices. This was not a tryst.

I got a little closer and squatted down in the tall grass. I couldn't make out what they were saying, so I closed my eyes and lowered my shields. Some were thinking how stupid JB was, but how valuable he had been. Some were thinking how good it felt to kill vampires. I started to shiver. Then I heard some sort of garbled thought that ended with the word Mina. That did it, and I turned and started to run back to my car as fast as I could. Before I reached it, headlights turned into the drive and I knew whoever was in that car had seen me. The car stopped and a man in combat fatigues got out. I stood still in a panic for a second before turning to run in another direction. It didn't take him long to catch up to me though, and as he grabbed me from behind, I let out a yell. I watched in horror as more combat ready men started pouring out of the back of the barn, running to me with excitement in their eyes. I was the catch of the day. I tried to break free from my captor, but he was too strong. As the group approached, one man who seemed to be the leader walked up and put his face close to mine. "Well looky what we got here. Ain't she pretty." He roughly pinched my nipple as he smiled sadistically.

I spit in his face and watched as he raised his hand to slap me. It stung hard and then everything was black.


	6. Chapter 6

Sookie

When I opened my eyes, I was looking at a semi-circle of men in camouflage uniforms staring at me. I was in the barn. I was standing, but my hands and feet were bound. My arms were raised above my head. I followed the ropes with my eyes and they were tied to rafters above me. My feet were a few feet apart, bound by ropes secured into the dirt floor with what looked like metal railroad ties. I had lost the feeling in my hands. All the men were looking hungrily at me and I heard from some of the brains that some wanted to rape me. I spotted JB and he looked terrified. I heard him think, _What's Mack gonna do to her?_

Apparently the leader of this little group was Mack, the one who had slapped me. He was over by the wall of the barn, bent over, rummaging through a large duffle bag. I heard him think, _That's the one!_ And he turned around to me holding a shiny hunting knife. I felt panic start to well up inside me.

He turned to his followers and started to make a speech about the evils of vampires and the whores that fucked them. I started to think: Could Eric be back from California by now? Probably not. Pam couldn't track me. I've never had her blood. Bill was with Eric. I was out in the middle of nowhere and no matter how loudly I screamed, no one would hear me. No one was coming to save me this time. JB was my only hope. I made eye contact with him and tried to plead with my eyes. I could see that he was scared. He was worried what Mack would do to me and thinking that he had made a big mistake joining the group.

Mack seemed to be finished with his little pep talk and he turned to me, holding the very sharp knife to my chest. I held my breath as he grabbed my t-shirt at the hem, and with one quick slice, cut it up the front, exposing my chest. I heard _tits!_ from more than one brain and closed my eyes as I felt my bra snap open as the chill of the knife's blade touched between my breasts.

I heard JB say, "No!" and he started to come forward.

Mack didn't miss a beat. "Hold him." And then under his breath, "Idiot."

Mack walked around behind me, slicing what was left of my t-shirt and bra until they were in shreds on the ground. JB was struggling while being held back by two other men and said, "Please!" And then, "I'm sorry Sookie."

"Sookie?" Mack's eyes lit up. "Is this the famous Sookie Stackhouse, vamp whore? My, my. The little honeymoon planner. You're famous around here."

He obviously knew who I was, and so I played the only card I thought I had. "It's Sookie Northman actually. My husband is going to enjoy ripping you apart. You're all going to die."

"Not today, whore. I think you should be more worried about your own pretty little ass."

He placed the tip of the knife just above my right breast and started to cut. At first I held my breath, but the pain shot through me and I made a little noise. He smiled at my response and continued his cutting all across my chest. The pain was shocking. I tried with all my strength to stay silent. I sensed JB fighting harder to be released and heard _nonononononono_ from his brain. All the other brains were thinking _yes_ and _whore_ and _cunt_. By the time Mack started to cut across my stomach, I realized that he was writing something in my skin. The pain became too much, and I finally just let go and screamed. I knew no one could hear me anyway, so it didn't matter. Mack chuckled as he continued to cut. I felt the blood running down my body and soaking into the waistband of my skirt. It tickled a little, and then I felt a little dizzy. I was starting to wonder if I might lose consciousness, which would have been fine with me at that point, when suddenly JB broke free and lunged forward towards me. Mack just turned and sunk the knife into JB's stomach. JB grunted and his eyes widened as they met mine. Then he slumped to the dirt floor with a loud thud.

The room grew still. Some were thinking _oh,shit_ or _fuck _and some thought _what a moron_. Then I was distracted by Mack's very focused thought: _I'm gonna fuck you raw, cunt._ His eyes were staring intently into mine and I was afraid. I watched him unzip his fly and produce an angry looking erection. I felt a few other men in the now closer semi-circle shift in their stance. Two of them reached to adjust the crotches of their pants. I heard several think _I'm next_.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else, but all I could feel was fear. Pure fear. I could feel Mack's hot breath on my face as he took a step closer. He pulled my skirt up and stuck his hand roughly down the front of my underwear. Then suddenly there was a loud bang as the barn doors flew open. All heads turned and I opened my eyes to see none other than the King of Rock and Roll standing in the open doorway with searing rage in his normally docile eyes. A sword wielding Pam stepped into the room right behind him. All the men in front of me turned to either fight or run. Mack disappeared to my left. I watched in awe as a graceful Pam did a sort of ballerina turn as she flew through the room towards me, sword held high. In one swift motion, she sliced through all four ropes, freeing me as I fell to my knees.

There was chaos all around me as the two vampires killed their way through the little group of men. I knelt over JB and checked to see if he was alive, but he was clearly gone, lying on his back, eyes open. I looked at the bloody knife handle protruding from his belly and thought of Tara. How would I tell her? I knew that most of the men inside the barn were dead already. Vampires are efficient. Bubba ran out the door to chase down a few that had fled and I heard a scream from out in the field somewhere. I turned to my right and watched Pam on top of a dead man, mindlessly biting into his throat and sucking loudly. I caught movement from my left and saw Mack running towards an unsuspecting Pam. He had retrieved a wooden stake from that duffle bag against the wall and had it raised, ready to bury it into Pam's back. I stuck my foot out, and watched him trip, but as he fell forward, he was still within reach of Pam. I felt rage and fury like I had never felt before and wasn't even aware of my actions as I grabbed the knife from JB's lifeless body and threw myself on top of Mack. I sunk the blade into the center of his back. He screamed and reached back behind him to grab me. I saw his hand in front of my face and bit down, tasting blood as I bit a finger completely off. I loved the sound of his screams. Then I twisted the knife hard, first in one direction and then the other until the screams stopped. I didn't realize that I was smiling until I saw the look of shock on Pam's face as she looked behind her to Mack's body lying so close to her own. When our eyes met, her smile widened and mine faded. I didn't even recognize the feelings I felt at that moment as my own, and yet I knew that they were all mine.


	7. Chapter 7

Pam

When my master called to tell me to pick Sookie up at the airport, my heart sank. From what little he told me, I could tell that they had had a fight. I knew that they had not been getting along since we returned from California, but I was not certain what the fights were about. Once I was healed, I tried to stay out of the house as much as I could, but I couldn't help but notice that she slept in the blue room quite a bit, and I knew that wasn't a good sign.

She clearly didn't want to talk about it when I picked her up, and so I just took her home and let Eric know she was safely at home.

The following night when I rose, I had a message from my master saying he would be home later and that I was to stay with Sookie until he arrived. He was more concerned for her than usual because we both knew that there may be some sort of terrorist group in Louisiana involved with the Mina incident, and it had not yet been discovered. Until that time, Sookie's protection was a priority. I searched the house, and then went to the garage. Her car was missing. I called her cell phone but only got her voice mail.

I grabbed my purse and drove like a bat out of hell towards Bon Temps. I called Amelia first. She confirmed that Sookie had been there earlier but had already left. I checked Merlotte's but she had not been there. I called Amelia back and asked for Sookie's friend, Tara's address. I started driving in that direction. I told Amelia to call Tara and then call me back. Then I called Bubba. He was in the woods not too far from Tara's neighborhood, and so I told him to check around for Sookie. Hopefully, she was just visiting her friend. Amelia called back to say that Sookie had left Tara's and should be headed back home by now. I breathed an unnecessary breath of relief and started to drive home when Bubba called.

"I think I heard Miss Sookie yelling. Well, it was more like a yelp. Just one. It sounded like it was coming from the woods by the old Stetson place. I'm gonna go look."

"No, wait." I didn't like the sound of this new information. "Where are you now?" He wasn't far from me. "Wait there by the road. I'm coming to get you. But don't let anybody see you, okay? I'm coming Bubba."

Once Bubba was in the car, he directed me to the area where he thought he heard Sookie. He knew this area well. We drove around in circles, stopping occasionally to listen and to sniff the air, but heard and smelled nothing. It was frustrating. I called the house, hoping Sookie would be home by now and that Bubba had been mistaken, but there was no answer, just like on her cell phone. It had been going straight to voice mail all night.

Then we both heard it. A piercing scream. That was her. I turned the wheel and drove in that direction. I came to a driveway and spotted her car and then I saw the lit-up barn.

Bubba jumped out of the car first. I popped the trunk and grabbed my sword and was right behind him. I loved the looks on the faces of the stupid humans dressed as soldiers when they saw Bubba's very famous face. First it was shock, and then terror when the fangs registered in their tiny little minds. Sookie was tied with her arms outstretched and naked from the waist up, covered in blood. I flew to her, freeing her as the cowards around her scattered. It was easy picking off the humans and I heard Bubba running after some that ran away as I drank hungrily from one on the ground. I was interrupted by a man's loud screams just behind me. I hadn't realized that one was left alive and I mentally chastised myself for being sloppy. I turned to see him, and could not believe my eyes. Sookie was spitting out a bloody finger and twisting the knife in the back of this man with pure blood lust in her eyes. I was so proud and had never felt such admiration for a human before that moment. But when she saw my face, her manic smile faded and she was back to herself within a second. But until then, it had been a glorious sight.

I noticed the stake in the hand that Sookie had not bitten and realized that she had saved me from this man, and I loved her all the more. My master was going to be so proud. But then I realized that he would also be furious that she had been abducted in the first place, and I dreaded that conversation.

I kicked the body of the dead man away from me and he rolled onto his back. It was then that I saw his penis hanging from his pants and looked back to Sookie. Her face held no expression. I couldn't smell sex in the room, but the power of all the blood scents could have easily masked it.

I left Bubba to clean the mess and bury or burn the bodies. I'd leave that up to him. In spite of his disabilities, he had proved a formidable ally and I was grateful for his help. My master will be pleased with his efforts.

I gave Sookie my jacket to cover herself and I felt my fangs extend with rage when I realized what was written across her body. I wished there were still a few of the humans left to torture and kill.

The ride home was mostly silent. I told her that Eric was on his way back from California. She thanked me for rescuing her. I listened to her crying quietly as she looked out the window away from me.

I heard the water running in her bathroom, assuming she was cleaning her wounds. I waited until she had gotten into bed in her blue room before I knocked on her door. She was lying on her back in an old t-shirt, but a little blood had soaked through it. I looked away when I felt my nostrils flare, hoping that she had not noticed.

"My master should be home within a few hours. I know you must feel pain. May I heal you?"

"No thank you, Pam. I really do appreciate what you did for me tonight. I owe you my life. And Bubba too. I hate to even think what would have happened if you hadn't found me. But I don't want any more vampire blood. I've just had way too much. From Eric and then from Bill. I took some Tylenol. Maybe tomorrow I should go see a doctor." And then she teared up I assumed at the thought of allowing another person to see her wounds.

"Okay. Try and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight."

I stood and waited outside her door until I heard her breathing steady and I knew she was asleep.

I stood over her as I carefully rolled her t-shirt up above the hot red marks on her skin. I knew she didn't want to ingest any more vampire blood, but I just couldn't leave her like this. It made me sick to see what some humans were capable of. I pricked my finger and gently traced each letter carved into her lovely flesh. As my bloody tears fell onto her, I rubbed those in as well. I knew that Eric's eyes would still be able to see the words, but at least Sookie's would not.

I went downstairs and texted Eric a carefully worded message. "She is home and safe now, but had a harrowing night. Brace yourself for anger."

Eric called as soon as he landed. I filled him in on the barn full of fools that Bubba and I had taken care of. I told him that Sookie was safe and sleeping but had been injured. Then I went to my attic room to leave them their privacy.


	8. Chapter 8

Eric

I checked in with Stan Davis and told him of our incident at the Fellowship church in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Bill and I left no one to interrogate in our haste to kill. There was still a suspected hate group in Louisiana that needed to be dealt with. I made our plane reservations to return to Shreveport the following night. There was not enough time left in that night to follow Sookie as she fled back home. Maybe it was best to give her some time to cool off anyway.

I called Pam and instructed her to pick Sookie up and let me know when she had her safely in her care. I left another message later that I was coming home the following night and to see to Sookie's protection until my return.

The following night I checked out of the Dark Days Inn and paid the additional fee for the wall damage. (It's a vampire hotel—they expect that sort of thing.) As I flew east across the country, Sookie's thread in the bond gradually became stronger and I sensed that something was terribly wrong. Compton confirmed the same feeling (which burned my ass no end). I was extremely worried and frustrated but by the time I landed I only sensed her sleeping. I turned my phone on and saw a very disturbing text from Pam regarding Sookie's status. I called Pam immediately and she told me about the rescue in the barn, and said that Sookie was safe at home but had been injured. There were many unanswered questions, but they could wait. I just wanted to see Sookie.

I raced home and flew up to her blue room. She was on her back and there were dried blood stains on her t-shirt. I carefully raised the hem of the shirt and felt both livid and sick as I saw her condition. Clearly Pam had touched blood to her wounds and they had healed to any eye but a vampire's. My fangs ran down and I felt my whole body tremble with rage as I read the marks on her body. Across her chest above her breasts it read VAMP and below that across her stomach was written HORE. The stupid bastards couldn't even spell it right. I lowered her t-shirt and tucked the sheet around her and went upstairs to Pam's room.

I knew I didn't need to knock to enter, but I stopped and composed myself, reminding myself that Pam had rescued Sookie and I owed her my gratitude. I did knock, and she invited me in. She gave me a more detailed report of the whole event as she saw it, but of course, she did not know how Sookie came to be abducted after her visit at her friend, Tara's. I thanked her for healing the wounds on Sookie's torso and then asked if she knew of other injuries. She shook her head no, but I sensed that there was something else that she had not disclosed. I waited. She finally said, "The man that Sookie killed—the one who was going to try and stake me--his pants were open. That's all I know, Master." I understood the implication. I was envious that Pam and Bubba got to slaughter the bastards that did this to Sookie. I wanted to level the whole goddamn parish. I knew that it would be difficult to contain my rage, but Sookie needed me now. I had to focus my energy on her care.

I went back down to Sookie, stripped down to my boxers and climbed into bed with her. I held her to me tightly and kissed her hair as I felt her stir and felt the break in the steady hum of sleep. She nuzzled her face into my chest and began to cry. "Please don't cry, my love. You are safe now. I'm right here." She seemed to stiffen and reached to touch her own chest and looked up to me questioningly. "Pam put a little blood on your wounds to heal them."

"Did you read it?" She started to sob into my chest.

"No lover. It's all better. See for yourself." She pulled away from me and lifted her t-shirt and ran her hands over her stomach and chest and looked back up to me. I answered her unasked question. "See? All gone." I crushed her to me and wished I could make it all better. The wounds may be hidden from her sight, but the memory would forever be pressed into her mind. I wished that I could glamor it away for her. I held her as she cried herself back to sleep. Before dawn called me to my own room, I carefully smelled her body, but I could not determine whether or not she had been raped. I smelled several human scents all over her, and there was no scent of human semen, but a woman can certainly be raped without the presence of semen. I hated to leave her, but I had no choice. My daily note simply said, "I love you."


	9. Chapter 9

Sookie

I slept late and woke with a headache. I went into the bathroom and cried at my daily note. I love him too. I took my t-shirt off and threw it in the trash can and examined my body. I could not see the marks any more. It's funny—when Pam offered to heal me, I had completely forgotten that she could rub some blood on the wounds and I wouldn't have to drink it. But then I'm glad she did it after I was asleep. I wouldn't want to watch her face as she traced those vile letters. The tears started again as I thought of how I had looked in the mirror the night before. The words were backwards to me, but of course I could still read them. Stupid Mack. Can't even spell. Then I remembered how much I enjoyed killing him and it made me shiver.

I had a light bruise across my cheekbone where I had been slapped and my wrists were pink from the rope burn, but otherwise I looked fine. I didn't feel so fine inside. I felt like I had exposed a dark side to my heart that I had never seen before—a side that enjoyed killing another human being. After all the anger I felt in Los Angeles at Eric for his violence, now I felt like a hypocrite. For the first time, I realized that killing could feel good and it turned my stomach. I had been given a tiny insight into how vampires must feel when they are in the throes of killing. I touched my lips as I remembered how satisfying it had been to bite Mack's finger off. And then how the knife felt as I twisted it into the wound I had made. Satisfying.

After I had showered and dressed, I grabbed my phone (Pam must have put it in the charger for me last night). I drove to Bon Temps and parked outside of Tara's house. I took a deep breath and called her.

"Hey. It's me. Is your salesgirl back from her foot surgery yet?"

"No. Actually, she starts back tomorrow, why? What's up?"

"You need to close the store and come home."

"What for? It's the middle of the day."

"I'm in front of your house. I'll wait for you here." No response. "It's about JB."

"I'm on my way."

I didn't sugar coat it much. I reminded myself that she had been involved with vampires, and she wasn't an innocent. She was at least somewhat relieved to know that JB had not been having an affair. She had assumed that that was the worst case scenario when he hadn't come home the night before. I was the one who gave her an even worse one—the worst possible one-- and I was so sorry to have to do that. I told her that I believed he had been brainwashed, which was only a tiny fib, but I could live with the half-truth in order for her to have a better memory of her dead husband. I emphasized that in the end he was killed trying to protect me. I regretted not being able to tell her where his body was. I certainly had no intentions of ever returning to that site, and I knew that she would not have found him had she gone there either. I wondered what had happened to all the cars. Mine was parked in front of our house when I looked out the window this morning. My purse was on the desk in my room. My phone in it's charger.

I stayed with Tara all day. She was a mess, but we were able to form a plan that she could live with. I held her hand as she called the police and reported him missing. Then I drove her to JB's parents' house. Tara didn't have much in the way of family to lean on, but JB had a wonderful family and I knew they would be a great comfort to her. I hoped she could lie effectively when she told everyone that he was simply missing. I didn't know how long it would take for him to be presumed dead. I vowed that I would be there for her in any way I could and meant it.

When I got home, the sun was setting. I went up to Eric's room and sat at the foot of the bed, watching my beautiful husband wake up. He opened his eyes and held his arms out to me. I crawled up beside him and let him hold me, wondering how long it would be before I felt safe again.

We hadn't addressed the fight we had in Los Angeles that seemed so huge that it sent me to the airport. Now it felt so insignificant. He asked me to tell him what happened. I took a deep breath and told him the whole thing (well, mostly anyway)—about following JB and being tied up. I stopped when it got to the part with the knife and just skipped over to when Pam and Bubba arrived. I also skipped over the details of killing Mack. I just wasn't ready to relive all the parts of the story.

He told me that he suspected that I had uncovered the group that had planted the explosives on the Mina, and I shuddered, realizing just how dangerous those men really were. He sat up a little and leaned on an elbow to look me in the eye, and I knew he had something important, maybe even painful, to tell me by his body language. I braced myself.

"There's something you should know."

"What is it?"

"I wasn't entirely truthful last night when you asked if I had read your wounds. I was trying to comfort you, but you deserve the truth. You need to know." I swallowed hard, bracing myself. "To human eyes, your wounds have vanished, but to the sensitive eyes of a vampire, they remain as faint white lines on your skin. I am only telling you this because I want to be aware when you choose clothing to wear in public. I thought you'd want to know." Lying on my back, a teardrop rolled into my hair as I looked up at him.

"That means you can see them."

"Yes, lover."

Then the tears flowed more freely. "Every time you look at my body, that's what you'll see. You'll read the words."

"What I will see is proof of how very brave you are. And a reminder to thank the gods that you still walk the earth. Your beauty will not diminish in my eyes, Sookie. Surely, you must know that."

He gently touched the bruise on my cheek and then examined my wrists. "Would you like some blood?"

"No, I'm okay."

"I wish I had a way to heal the pain in your heart, my love."

Then he held me and rocked me while I cried for a long time.


	10. Chapter 10

Sookie

For the next few days, Eric stayed home and didn't go into work at Fangtasia. We spent our nights together. I spent my days mostly with Tara, trying to be there for her, but not really knowing what to do.

Eric treated me with kid gloves. We still had not discussed our fight in L.A. and avoided the subject of the scene in the barn. He held me and kissed me and told me he loved me, but we had not made love. I certainly never initiated it. I knew that he would read the words on my body and in spite of his efforts to explain to me that he would not be repulsed, I could not help but feel that he was avoiding sex because of it. I felt so unattractive and wondered if that would ever change.

Eric

For the next few days, I stayed home to be with Sookie. I checked in with Stan Davis and Clancy by phone from home and gave them the report of the group's demise in the barn. I left out Sookie's involvement and made it seem that Pam had discovered the meeting and called Bubba in for assistance. We knew that while it seemed that those responsible for the attack on the Mina had been taken out, we really had no way of knowing whether or not all of the perpetrators had been found. And, of course, there were still plenty of vampire haters in the world where those came from.

I was fairly satisfied with the outcome both in L.A. and in that barn near Bon Temps, and was ready to put the investigation behind me and focus on Sookie's recovery. It was very difficult, of course, but I refrained from initiating sex with her because I suspected that she may have been raped. I wanted to give her time, and would wait until she felt ready to share intimacy with me again. I hoped that she would want to talk with me about it as well, but again, I held back so that she could move forward at her own pace. We still hadn't addressed her flight home from L.A. and the fight that led to that. I knew we had a lot to talk about, but I am a patient man if nothing else, and so I waited.

Then finally one night she was waiting on my bed as I woke and said, "I think we need to talk."

I rolled onto my side to face her and took her hand in mine and waited.

"About what happened in L.A., I owe you an apology."

"For leaving the way you did?"

"Well, yes, for that. But also for how I treated you in the bar. I was upset and jealous…"

"You have nothing to feel jealous for, lover. I would never be unfaithful to you. Yes, I drank the blood of my enemies, but that is entirely different from drinking blood in intimacy. You understand the difference, don't you?"

"I'm starting to."

"Good."

"I shouldn't have left. That was childish. And I also should have given you a chance to explain what happened."

Then I told her about our discovery of the ritual in which Daniel Ito was about to be staked. I explained that I felt that I owed him because of his kindness to me and to Pam and was compelled to intervene.

"You should have intervened even if you didn't owe him. I couldn't have just watched someone be staked without doing something either, Eric."

"Oh. Okay."

"I learned something about myself and about violence in the barn." I waited, held still for her to continue. "This is hard for me to say out loud. I've been having internal conversations with myself, but I think I should explain it to you as well. Because I've been unfair to you."

"What is it, lover?"

"I enjoyed killing that guy, Mack."

"I see."

"I mean I got a visceral pleasure out of killing him. I didn't just stab him. I bit off his finger and twisted the knife into the wound and I enjoyed making him scream. I enjoyed it." Her voice began to quiver and her eyes teared.

"I understand." She actually laughed through her tears.

"Well, of course you do. You enjoy killing all the time."

"No, I mean I understand because of what he did to you. It's natural to feel such hatred for your attacker. It's perfectly normal to feel so strongly."

"I don't know about that Eric. I've certainly been attacked before. I've even killed people. But I've never experienced this."

"Sookie, considering the vicious nature of his attack, I would say that your response was certainly a reasonable one. Plus you were protecting Pam."

"For the first time, I understood how you must feel when you're in battle and kill your enemies. And now I feel bad for trying to make you something you're not. I should have accepted you for …well…for being a vampire. I married you for who you are and I shouldn't try and change you."

"No, lover. You should tell me when my nature disturbs you. That's okay. I have lived as a vampire for so long that I do need an occasional reminder that my behavior needs to be kept in check. We are living among humans now and it's a whole new world. I need to adapt, and having a human wife has helped me in that regard."

"Really?"

"Of course. This has been a huge adjustment for both of us. Marriage by it's very nature is always a huge adjustment, but our circumstances have warranted even greater adjustments than usual. We should expect some bumps along the way. Those are fine as long as we can work past them and remain on the path together." She started to say something and then began to cry and buried her face in my chest. "What is it, love?"

"Do you think we'll ever get past this? Will you want me again?"

I hugged her to me. "What do you mean? I always want you." I pulled her face from my chest and wiped the tears away and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Sookie. My desire for you will never fade."

"But the words…you know…on my body. Isn't that why you haven't…well…you know."

"Of course not. I wanted to wait until you felt comfortable. Lover, you don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to. But I will wait. My desire will not wane, I assure you."

"I don't understand."

Maybe it was better to just say it. "Were you raped?"

"No. No, honey. Is that what you thought? No. I would have been if Bubba and Pam hadn't gotten there when they did. But no. Actually, I would have been raped by more than one of them, which I can't even imagine. Is that why we haven't…?"

"Yes."

"So it's not the words then? You know, on my body?"

"Of course not, love." I held her to me and stroked her hair. "I have an idea." She looked at me expectantly. "As I told you, your eyes cannot see the marks that mine can. Your body is covered with my fangmarks, and I love to see them as symbols of our union. It gives me pleasure to see that I have marked you as mine."

"Really? You never told me that."

"Well, I wasn't certain how you would respond. My marks are here…" I touched her breasts over her shirt. "And here…" I touched her inner thighs. "They enhance your beauty to me." She started to smile. "If you'd like, I can bite you where the words are and eventually my marks will cover the letters, making them unreadable. Then to any vampire, your body will simply have the allure of vampire ownership. It probably sounds strange to a human, but seeing fangmarks on a human makes that human more appealing to other vampires. Being claimed in such a way is considered a sign of beauty. Would you like me to do that?"

"Yes. It would be kind of like when people get a tattoo to cover up a scar."

"Yes. Something like that."

"I like that idea."

And then I kissed her, first tenderly, then passionately. I wanted to show her that I wanted her. I didn't hold back. I wasn't careful. I was lustful and so was she.


	11. Chapter 11

Sookie

It's amazing what a little honest communication can accomplish. I decided to talk to Eric about how I felt about killing Mack. It is still something that I need to work on—discovering what to do with my feelings about that. I need to explore my heart, forgive myself, accept the truth. Talking to Eric made me feel much better about it, but I still had some soul searching to do.

We also talked about our recent celibacy since the barn incident. I assumed that Eric was not interested in sex because of the knife wounds. He had told me that he could still see them and I thought that they must repulse him. But apparently, he was holding back because he thought that I may have been raped. I had still been brutally attacked, but I would assume that rape brings with it a whole other set of issues and I was so lucky for Bubba's and Pam's timing. I am still uncomfortable about Eric seeing the letters that were carved into my skin, but he had a great idea to cover them with fangmarks, making them eventually unreadable. I had no idea that he could see the fangmarks that he has left on my body, but apparently to a vampire's superior eyesight they are still visible. At first, that made me feel uncomfortable, but when I saw the look on his face when he told me how seeing them made him feel, then I was glad that they were there. When he touched my body to show me where the marks mostly are, I felt my body relax into a much welcomed state—arousal.

There's something about the first time you feel sexy after going through a trauma that has pretty much killed your libido. It was like welcoming back a long lost friend, and I embraced it. I was also so relieved to hear that Eric still wanted me when I had felt that he had not. We started to kiss and the passion was ignited very quickly for both of us. It was evident that he did indeed still want me in a big way, and that fed into my own lust which hit me like a freight train. Eric started to pull my clothes off and I think I said, "hurry," but I don't really remember. He was already naked and it was just an easy toss of the sheet that produced what I wanted to get my hands on, and boy was he ready. I was already devouring him when he was still struggling with my pants, but I never stopped what I was doing. Once I felt his talented fingers inside me, I swung my body around so that I was on top of him and just above his powerful tongue. I never broke rhythm with what my mouth and hands were doing, but I did start moaning when I felt the wetness of his mouth meet my own wetness. We were both enjoying the joy of both giving and receiving at the same time. I was the first to cross the finish line however, and yes, that was powerful enough to stop me as I cried out and collapsed on top of Eric, gracious plenty still in hand.

Before I could even catch my breath, Eric had rolled me onto my back, pulled me to the edge of the bed by my hips and thrust into me while standing beside the bed. I gasped because he filled me with the first stroke, and I may have mentioned it before, but the man is huge. He immediately started pumping me hard and fast. It was so forceful that my breasts were bouncing practically up to my chin. I grabbed onto them to try and hold them still and Eric and I started laughing at the same time. Then he said kind of gruffly, "Too much?" I think I threatened him with bodily harm if he stopped or even slowed down and that made him grin as well. We were having fun. He took each of my legs and draped them over his shoulders so he could get in even deeper. He was manhandling my busy hips and I had gone from trying to hold my breasts still to massaging them and pinching my own nipples. I was getting close when Eric released one of my hips and used his thumb on me. I looked down to watch and then caught his eye and a very devilish grin as my eyes closed involuntarily and the whole world rocked for me. I was vaguely aware of my own moans. I may have said something but I doubt if it was coherent. Eric slammed into me two or thee more times before bending forward and sinking his fangs into my chest. I held him as his whole body shuddered and I relished that throbbing inside of me. I'm not sure how much of it was his and how much was mine. It doesn't matter. It was ours and it was magnificent.


	12. Chapter 12

Eric

Sookie and I have finally gotten back into a fairly normal routine at home. She had been severely traumatized by her recent abduction, but seems to be healing both physically and emotionally. Sometimes I forget that she is just a human. She is so strong and brave. But when I think that she had to witness the brutal murder of her high school friend and husband to her girlfriend, that must have been traumatic for her. And then, of course, there was the knife-wielding psychopath who came just this close to raping her, but did succeed in carving an insult into her flesh. She had to deal with that trauma, plus the feelings she experienced when she killed him. She has been through a lot.

Interestingly, her satisfaction in killing the psychopath has led to a clearer understanding of my nature as a vampire. I can remember her saying in some argument before we went to Los Angeles that she could never understand how consumed vampires are with revenge and violence, and then after her own vengeful and very violent reaction to her attacker, she seemed to re-think her position. Of course, I would prefer that she never have to know those feelings at all. I simply want her to have a safe and secure life, but I fear that marrying a vampire has doomed her to a world of violence. Ironically, the very thing that I want to protect her from is only present in her life because of me.

Once the perpetrators of the Mina attack seemed to be taken care of, Sookie and I were hoping to go back to the beach. We had had such a blissful and quiet life there, and we both missed our peaceful and beautiful home. Unfortunately, Sookie felt that she couldn't leave her friend Tara yet. Tara was still grieving the loss of her idiotic husband and needed Sookie's strength. And so we stayed in Shreveport.

Sookie

Eric and I had finally gotten back into a normal routine here. I was still spending much of my time during the day with Tara. She was doing as well as could be expected, I suppose. I had been eating at Merlotte's some, catching up with the local gossip through Sam. There was a lot of buzz about the suspicious disappearance of a dozen or more local men, JB being one of them. I had listened in to the brains of Andy and Bud a few times, and they were stumped. Fine with me.

Terry mentioned once that he heard of a very odd and recent Elvis sighting near Bon Temps. All who were within earshot of him at the bar just rolled their eyes. I became very concerned and wondered if any of the scary men in the barn may have gotten away. I saw Bubba one night as I was leaving after a visit with Amelia and Octavia. He just kind of appeared out of the woods when I was getting into my car. I thanked him for saving me and told him to be careful because some of the men in the barn may have seen him and escaped. He promised he would.

When I wanted to go to the beach before, Eric wouldn't leave because he was investigating the attack on the Mina. After that seemed to be behind us, I felt like I needed to stay here for Tara. It's too bad because I really would have loved to have gone back to our romantic and quiet life there. I missed it. Not that we weren't happy here. We were. Our sex life seemed to finally be back on track. No more arguments. No recovering from some awful injuries. We were both fine and getting along great and acting like newlyweds should. Until, of course, the big fight.

The one issue we still seemed to tip-toe around was my bond with Bill. I tried never to mention it, but I have to admit if often interfered with my life with Eric. Eric and I had exchanged blood a few more times since the double bond, so what Eric felt (according to Eric) seemed like it was pretty much back to normal. I usually felt like Eric's thread was much stronger than Bill's, but I did notice one night when we were all at Fangtasia at the same time that if Bill and Eric were together (I guess both the same distance from me?), I had a hard time separating the feelings. As long as Eric was with me and Bill was in Bon Temps, Eric's bond was dominant. But just the fact that Bill's was there at all was pretty annoying. I know, I know—he saved my life, and I am grateful. But still, it was exhausting trying to separate the two feelings—kind of like having to keep my shields up all the time. But I tried not to complain. In fact, like I said, I tried never to mention it.

One night Eric and I were lying in each other's arms in post coital bliss and he started to tell me what had happened to him on the Mina. I cried through his whole story. It was so terrifying to me—both what he went through and what Pam suffered. Then he asked me what exactly had happened to me. I told him what I remembered and what Bill had told me and I could sense that he kind of tensed up when I got to the part about my waking up in the lifeboat, having had Bill's blood. I said, "I'm sorry, honey. I know it's probably hard for you to hear that part. But he saved my life. If he hadn't given me his blood, I surely would have died."

"I know, lover. I am trying to come to terms with it. I think considering that I am a possessive and controlling vampire that I'm doing pretty well. I can deal with it as long as I know that Bill never drank any of _your_ blood. That would be a whole different story."

I held my breath. He must have sensed my panic. He pushed me away and sat up and looked me in the eye. "Tell me he didn't."

"Um…well. He did, actually. But just the one time. I thought you knew that."

"How the fuck would I know that? _Why_ would I know that? My gods, do you know what you have done? You were _unfaithful? _ To _me?_"

"No! Of course not! It was nothing like that. He woke up on the Navy ship and he had been burned and needed blood. Tray and Quinn helped me with it."

"Tray and Quinn know about this too? Good gods, do you know how humiliating that is? You might as well have had a foursome with them Sookie!"

"Hey, stop that! That's ridiculous. You're acting like I did something to disgrace you. I was just trying to feed the vampire that had just saved my life."

"By letting him _bite_ you? All the vampires on my rescue ship had bagged blood. There was no biting. Was there no bagged blood on your ship?"

"Well, yeah, but I hadn't thought of that at the time."

"No, you were too busy letting your former lover bite you! In front of two other men! Why didn't you just let him fuck you?"

"Stop it! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You took a vow, for gods sakes! To be faithful! Does that not mean anything to you?" He was standing and yelling at this point.

"I would never cheat on you Eric! You're making too big a deal about this. It meant nothing!"

"Oh really? Do you think it meant nothing to him? He must think I am a fool. You both make me sick!" He started to get dressed.

"Wait. Let's just calm down. I had no idea that this was wrong—that it could be considered cheating. I don't know all of your stupid vampire rules, Eric. In my heart it was not cheating."

"Well in mine it was." He started to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"To Fangtasia. At least with the fangbangers there, you know what you're getting. They don't pretend like they're not sluts."

I felt like he had slapped me in the face. Did he just call me a slut?

He was headed down the stairs as I ran out into the hall and yelled down, "Don't you do anything stupid! You took a vow too, you know! I did not cheat! I DID NOT CHEAT!" By that time, I was sobbing and he was gone.


	13. Chapter 13

Eric

Sookie and I have obviously had arguments before. We have a very passionate relationship. Add that to the fact that we have some severe cultural differences, and…well…we have some pretty big differences of opinion. And I'd describe both of us as strong personalities. Anyway, we had a whopper of a fight.

I was still processing the bond with Compton, and I was pretty proud of the way I was handling it quite frankly. But then when I found out that she had let that scum bite her, I lost it. I had visions of him sucking the blood (_my_ blood! _Mine!_) out of her neck while humping her leg with Tray and Quinn watching and drooling yanking their own boners. It just made me sick. I know that she most likely didn't realize what she had done, but Compton knew. He took advantage of her and he knew what he was doing. He's always wanted her back, and it kills him that she prefers me, that she married me. That was his way to stick it to me. Motherfucker.

I was so angry with him and with her. How could she be so naïve? I had to get away. I started to get dressed. I needed to leave or I would have started punching out walls. I lost my temper and made a horrible comment comparing Sookie to fangbangers. I regretted it the second it left my lips, but by that time I was in such a state, I just walked out the door.

I started driving without any destination in mind. I had no intention of actually going to Fangtasia. There was nothing there for me. I would meet the sun before I would ever cheat on Sookie. I found myself driving towards Bon Temps. I guess I was just so used to traveling that road. I had driven it so many times before. When I came to the place where Sookie had picked me up the night I was cursed, I pulled over. I got out and walked along the road, remembering how lost I'd felt and how afraid I was. It's hard for me to admit to fear, but that's what it was. And she was so brave and so kind. She had no way of knowing how dangerous I was, and yet she took me home with her. And washed my feet, for gods sakes. I flew up into the trees and sat and studied the road below me. That's where it all really started for us. That was the night that my heart was opened to her. And now she is my whole life.

And then I thought of where we are now. And fucking Compton. I flew towards his house and perched in a tree in the cemetery. There were lights on in his house. I wondered if he had humans there. Why else would he need the lights on? Then I noticed the car in the driveway that was not his. And soon a woman appeared and walked to her car. I recognized her from the bar. She was a fangbanger if there ever was one. I think every vampire in area five has had her. I'd had her myself years ago, before Sookie. I couldn't believe I had made that comment to Sookie comparing her to women like this. It was a horrible insult and completely uncalled for. I had behaved like an ass.

And now I could feel her crying. I'd made her cry. I flew back to my car and started driving home. By the time I got there, she was asleep. I found her in the blue room, lying on her back in a strappy little silk gown with a crumpled up tissue in her hand. I stood over her and watched her sleep. The 'A" in VAMP was almost unreadable across her chest. My fangmarks had already closed up the little triangle. This woman had suffered having Vamp Hore carved into her skin and then her own husband had implied that that's exactly what she was. It was inexcusable. I should be staked for my insensitivity. She deserves better.

I wrote her my daily note and then went to my room to die for the day.

Sookie

After Eric left, I went to my room and closed the door. It was already late and I was exhausted from the fight. I took a shower and climbed into bed and lay there going over the fight in my mind. I had not cheated. But then I had been stupid not to think of asking if there was donated blood on board the ship before offering my own wrist to Bill. I guess I just wasn't thinking straight. But there was nothing sexual about that moment. Bill was like a wild animal—like he had been in the trunk that night in Jackson. That memory made me shiver. I remembered how sexually driven he was and mindless in his attack, and I understood why Eric was upset. But it wasn't like that on the ship.

I couldn't believe what Eric had said to me. I know he was upset and angry, but still. I am not a slut. I started to cry again, thinking of how he spoke to me. He was so angry. I closed my eyes and tried to feel him. I tried to separate the two threads. They were so similar in strength. Maybe Bill was at Fangtasia too. I hoped not because Eric was so mad at him. There's no telling what he might do to Bill. But there seemed to be no anger in the bond. Maybe Eric had calmed down. And then I felt the lust and I sat up straight in bed. That was lust. Oh my god. He was really doing it. He had really gone and found a fangbanger and was really having sex. I wanted to throw up. I was sobbing and sick to my stomach and didn't know what to do. In his mind I had cheated, so he was getting me back. Only I hadn't really cheated. But he certainly has now and there's no going back from that. How could I ever live with this in our marriage? What was I going to do? I just cried and cried until I was too tired to cry any more.

The next day, I woke and for the tiniest moment everything was normal. Then I remembered the night before and I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to throw up. When I was finished, I went to brush my teeth and saw my daily note: Forgive me. I just bent over and threw up into the sink this time. So he really has done it and now he just wants me to forgive him and act like everything is fine? Good lord. What am I going to do?


	14. Chapter 14

Sookie

I spent most of the day crying and sleeping off and on. I can't remember when I was last this depressed. I had no idea what I was going to do. I just couldn't imagine how I was going to find it in my heart to just forgive Eric and move on. My first reaction was to run away, but I know that that's not the mature thing to do. Finally, I got dressed and drove to Bon Temps. I called Tara and apologized for not coming over. I was stopped up from all the crying and so she just thought I had a cold and told me to feel better. I didn't bother to correct her. I didn't exactly have a cold, but I did feel pretty sick. Heartsick.

I went to the cemetery by my house and found Gran's grave. I sat on the ground in front of the headstone and started talking to her. We had a long talk and it had already gotten dark. I knew that I should go home and face the music, but I really didn't know what I was going to say to Eric. I know that a lot of marriages face infidelity and survive it, but I just couldn't imagine how I was going to get over this. Gran herself had lived for years in a marriage with infidelity on her part, which was hard for me to imagine as well. I finally felt all talked out, but still had no solution to my problem. I started walking back to my car when I was startled by movement in the leaves in front of me. I pulled my key chain out of my pocket (I had left my purse in the car). It has one of those tiny reading lights on it as well as mace and a swiss army knife. (Hey, a girl in my circumstances has to be ready for anything.) I shone the light in the direction of the noise and saw a tiny snake. A copperhead. I knew my snakes pretty well. I grew up living by these woods. And I don't know whether it's true or not, but I've always heard that baby snakes are deadlier than adults. I didn't want to find out. I started to back away when I heard another rustle in the leaves behind me. I froze again. I looked around and a flat grave marker was only a few steps away. I carefully inched my way over to it and stood in the center, shining my light all around me. I counted five of them. Wow. I must have stepped right into a nest. My heart was pounding in my chest and I was starting to panic, wondering how I was going to get away from them. I listened for more leaves rustling, but all I could hear was my own heartbeat and shallow breathing. I was so focused on the ground, waiting for a sound. Then from right behind my ear, "What's wrong?"

I screamed bloody murder. "Bill! Don't do that! You scared me to death!"

"Why were you afraid? I felt your fear and panic."

"There are baby copperheads all around me." I shone the light to where I had last seen one, then realized how stupid that was. Vampire sight. Right.

Bill started to kick the leaves and stomp around and I heard the snakes slithering away. Bill circled out around me, making sure none were left. Then he came back and stood in front of me.

"Thank you."

"Anytime. Are you okay now?"

"Sure." Only then I started to cry. Damn it.

"What is it? Not the snakes."

I told Bill all about the fight Eric and I had had, only I left out the part about Eric calling me a slut (okay, _implying_ that I'm a slut) and also the part about Eric having sex later with a fangbanger. Way too private.

Bill said, "I thought you said that you told him all about what had happened after he was rescued."

"Well, I did. Actually, I guess I didn't. I told him that you had given me blood and that we were bound, but I guess I hadn't mentioned that you had had my blood on the ship. It didn't seem important. I really hadn't even thought about it."

"Oh Sookie. To a vampire, that's the worst part. He would view that as an indiscretion. A big one. I don't even remember it or I would have stopped you. Honestly. I was just so out of it I guess. I'm sorry. I thought he knew. Actually, I was really impressed that he handled it so well. I guess I was wrong. But the real issue is your intent. You did not intend to be unfaithful even if technically you were."

"Jeeze Louise! I wish you would both stop saying that. I did not cheat!"

"I'm sorry. I know. Okay. You and I both know that it was innocent, but you just need to explain that to Eric. Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No. I think it's better if you just stay out of it."

"And so do I…" A very scary Eric landed in front of us and grabbed Bill by the front of his shirt.

"Eric! Stop!" He ignored me, of course, and started punching Bill in the face. Within seconds, all hell had broken loose. I was screaming for him to stop. Eric was tossing Bill around like a doll and Bill was fighting back, but it was not an even match. At one point, Eric threw Bill across the graveyard and he hit a tombstone. I stepped up to Eric and grabbed his arm. He turned to me with the scariest look in his eyes. He was in full bloodlust, fangs down, eyes ablaze. I instinctively cringed. But he stopped. "Get in the car!"

I turned and started walking back to my car. "STOP!" I froze. He walked in front of me, reached down and grabbed a tiny snake that latched on to the tip of his finger. He popped it off and flung it into the woods. Then we marched in silence to the car.


	15. Chapter 15

Eric

I woke alone. I had hoped that Sookie had read my note, forgiven me for my angry and awful comment and would be ready for the great makeup sex by now. I closed my eyes and felt that she was away, most likely in Bon Temps and assumed that she was at Tara's again. I got dressed and had a True Blood and was getting ready to call her when I felt her panic and fear. I called her cell, but got her voice mail. I walked out the front door and took off flying. From the air, I called Compton. No answer. I called Bubba. Same thing. Shit. I was getting ready to call Clancy to see if he knew the whereabouts of Compton or Bubba when I felt her fear stop and my own did as well. She seemed fine.

I continued on my path as I wanted to see her anyway and find out what had frightened her. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her in the cemetery with fucking Compton. That man needs to stay the fuck away from my wife. I landed and started beating the crap out of him, but then when I saw the look in Sookie's eyes, I decided that he wasn't worth it. My beating him would just make her want to defend him more. I couldn't win. I told her to get in the car and she did. (I did have to get a little snake out of the way for her. At least I was good for something.) I was pissed. The ride home was mostly silent except for one exchange.

"Why were you afraid earlier?"

"Snakes."

And that was it. No other conversation. Apparently, I was not forgiven.

She went to her room and closed the door. I spent most of the night down in the den watching T.V. but not paying much attention to the shows that were on. I finally couldn't stand it any more so I went to her room and knocked on her door.

"Come in."

"Are you okay now?"

"I guess." The tears started.

"Did you get my note?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I don't know Eric. I need some time. You act like this is no big deal, but for me it's a huge deal. I honestly don't know if I can forgive you."

I couldn't believe my ears. I mean, I know it was an awful thing to say, but come on! "I am sorry Sookie. I was upset. It won't happen again. Wait. I can't promise that. I will certainly try to not let it happen again, but I know that sometimes I lose my temper. I promise that I will try to never let that happen again. And I am very sorry that it happened last night. Is that good enough?"

She just turned over and started wailing into her pillow. What the fuck?

Sookie

Who is this man and what has he done with the man I married? That's all I kept thinking. Suddenly, Eric's indiscretion was no big deal, something I needed to forgive him for and move on? When he said he would _try_ to not let it happen again, I almost died. He can't promise that it won't happen again? Oh my god. Has the world gone mad? I know I was there on that beach when we said our marriage vows. I heard him with my own ears. And that wasn't all that long ago. How did we get to this place? What am I going to do? I just cried my heart out into my pillow. At some point, I heard him leave the room, but the tears didn't stop.


	16. Chapter 16

Bill

I found Sookie scared in the cemetery, but it was only because of some little snakes. But then she told me what had been going on at home with Eric and I felt truly bad for her. I could only imagine how pissed Eric must have been when he thought that I had knowingly bitten her. I never would have done that had I been in my right mind. And poor Sookie was just so naïve. She had no idea what being bitten meant. She was just trying to help me, poor thing.

As soon as Eric arrived on the scene, I felt his wrath. I couldn't really blame him for how he felt. I only hope they can work this out. I don't look forward to getting my ass kicked every time he's around.

I also thought of how frustrated he must be that he hasn't been the one to rescue Sookie lately. I rescued her at sea. Pam and Bubba killed those rednecks in the barn. I had even shooed away the snakes before he had a chance to arrive in the cemetery. He had been willing to take the blame for Victor Madden's death in court, but then Sookie ended up saving his ass there. And then he was defanged in court. That couldn't have been fun. Add all that up and put my biting her on the ship as the cherry on top and you have yourself one big old emasculation sundae. As much as I don't exactly love the guy, he has had it pretty rough lately.

I decided to do them both a favor and leave town for awhile. Maybe having me out of the way will help them get back on track. I called Clancy and told him I was going to New Orleans for a little vacation, packed a bag and jumped in the car.

Sookie

I hardly slept all night, so the next day I was still a wreck. I dozed most of the morning between crying jags. I needed to see Tara though, so I got it together and drove to Bon Temps in the afternoon. She was back at work—she said it helped her feel more normal—so I went to the shop to see her. I had gone through the drive thru and brought chocolate shakes. We both needed chocolate. I didn't mention my own domestic problems since she had just lost her husband—it just seemed too tacky. We were hanging out in the store when a woman came in and introduced herself as Marilyn Michaelson and said she was a reporter for the Globe. She was doing a piece on the missing men in and around Bon Temps, and had somehow gotten the name of Tara's store and knew that she was JB's wife. Her story focused on the disappearance as an alien abduction. I let her go on about it, thinking it wasn't much crazier than the truth. An undead rock and roll legend and sword-swinging vampire ballerina had wiped them out while they tortured the telepathic wife of a thousand year old Viking vampire. Yep, alien abduction was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

She interviewed Tara who was very sweet and patient with her, all things considered. When she was getting ready to leave, she checked her notebook and asked where the old Mills Creek School was. I told her how to get there. It was a few miles north of Bon Temps. It used to be a high school, but it had to be closed when it was discovered to be full of asbestos. Apparently, it was cheaper to just build a new school than to try and rid it of the stuff. So, it sat empty. It was a very popular make-out spot for teenagers now. I only knew this from when my shields were down. I asked her why she was going there and she said that an anonymous caller had asked her to come and see proof that The Man from Memphis was still alive and well. My heart stopped. I lowered my shields and learned that her paper had agreed to pay the caller ninety thousand dollars for a photograph. She didn't want us to know that they paid for stories because she wanted Tara's cooperation for free.

"So, you think this guy…um…has a picture or something? That's his proof?"

"No, he claims to have the real thing. I'm supposed to bring a camera. Don't get too excited. We get these kinds of calls all the time. They're usually nothing." She started to leave.

"Wait!" Tara looked startled. "You should really go see…um…Sam Merlotte. Yeah, over at Merlotte's. He says he's seen the…uh…you know, Man from Memphis himself." Tara was giving me a funny look.

"Really?"

"Yes. And he's much closer. You should swing by and talk to him."

"Maybe I will. What was his name again?" And then I gave her directions to Merlotte's.

As soon as she left, I flew out the door, telling Tara I'd explain later and called Sam from my car. He promised to stall Marilyn Michaelson, but made me promise to call him as soon as I got to the school and not to try and do anything brave (read: stupid) if I found anything suspicious.

I stopped my car and pulled off the road as I approached the old school. I saw a man standing out front smoking a cigarette. He did seem to be waiting for someone, and so I assumed this was the guy who had made the call. He didn't look familiar to me. I backed up and turned around. Thanks to the brains of all the horny teenagers in Bon Temps, I knew a back way into the school's lot.

I dropped my shields as I parked and there was only the one guy out front and one void—Bubba. I went to call Sam and wouldn't you know it, my phone was dead. Why does it seem that my phone always dies right when I need it? It was almost dark, so I figured that my vampire homing beacon would most likely kick in if anything went wrong. Who needs a cell phone when you've had vampire blood anyway? Bill was less than five minutes away and Eric was maybe thirty, twenty-five if he flew. Hopefully, I wouldn't need any help, but it was a comfort to know that they were there just in case.

I found the unlocked door right where the horny teens thought it would be and slipped inside. Now, where would a light tight room be in a high school? Bubba was obviously still alive or he wouldn't be worth ninety thousand dollars. I reached out with my mind and felt the void, and looked down the hall: Janitor's closet. Bingo.

I opened it quickly in order to prevent too much light from getting in and closed the door behind me. I didn't want to flip the light switch on—smoking guy might notice the light under the door, so I used the little light on my keychain. Bubba was tied to a chair. His wrists and ankles were bound with silver and there was a chain wrapped around his torso. A rectangular piece of silver net was duct taped over his mouth. His skin around it was clearly badly burned. He was still in his daytime stupor. I just needed to untie him and leave. When he woke up (which should be very soon), I'd be safely gone and he'd take care of smoking guy himself. Problem solved. I started to unwind the chain from his torso when I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I froze.

I listened to smoking guy's brain. _The bitch is late. Once it gets dark, that motherfucker's scary. I saw what he did at the barn. Scary as shit._

Oh dear. This must have been one that got away that night. I remembered how dangerous they were, how sadistic.

I heard him open a cell phone and punch in numbers. "She's not here yet. Somebody better get over here. I don't want to be here alone when he wakes up. Yes, he's still tied up, but he's still fucking scary. I have a gun, but I don't think you can kill them with bullets. No, I think that's a werewolf. No, silver. It doesn't matter. I don't have any anyway. I don't know. I read it somewhere. Just get over here."

So, if I try and leave, there's a scary sadistic redneck with a gun outside the door. More scary rednecks are on their way. If I stay, as soon as the sun goes down, I'm stuck in a closet with a hungry vampire. I was starting to wonder how much longer it was until sunset when Bubba started to stir. Uh oh.

Okay, though. If I can just hang on for five minutes, Bill will be here. I'm sure both he and Eric can feel my fear. Yep, I am fairly alarmed here. That is my heart beating. And so I waited.


	17. Chapter 17

Eric

Sookie's fear woke me. I jumped up and threw on some clothes, grabbed my phone and flew out of the house. No answer on her cell. I tried Compton, as much as I hated to. She was definitely near Bon Temps and he was closer. Voice mail. Then I tried Bubba. Same thing. I called Clancy to find out if he knew where they were, and he told me Compton was in New Orleans and Bubba had been missing for days. I had one message. It was her shifter friend, Sam. He thought she might be in danger at the old Mills Creek School and was on his way there himself when he called. That was five minutes ago. I forced calm through the bond to let her know that I was on my way and I flew as fast as I could.

Sookie

Bubba was starting to grunt and wiggle. He could see me even though it was dark and I'm sure he could smell me. I shone my little light his way and the mad hunger in his eyes was about as scary a sight as I had ever seen. For the first time, I think I was glad that silver could bind a vampire. I put my finger up to my lips in the universal sign to be quiet, but he was beyond comprehending me. The burns must be pretty bad. Plus I had no idea how many days he had been bound here without blood. I tried to get as far away from him as I could and started counting the minutes.

I heard and sensed the brains of two more men as they arrived. Judging from their thoughts and conversation, they had also been at the barn and gotten away. They were hoping the reporter would hurry, and I hoped that Sam had her distracted. I didn't want her walking into this dangerous situation. I was starting to think that Bill should have been here by now when I heard a dog barking. Sam. Oh no. I heard the men yelling and Sam growling as he attacked one of the men, and then he yelped and the men were laughing. I saw a mental image of one of them kicking a collie, so I assumed that that's what had happened. I thought: Sam, just hang on. Eric's coming. I could feel him sending me calm. At least I was pretty sure it was Eric. Bubba was still struggling and grunting. I was flattened up against the wall as far away from him as I could get.

Then I heard one of the redneck brains think how funny it would be to shoot the injured collie and I thought, that's it. I can't stay in here any more. I opened the door and the three men turned and looked in shock in my direction. I guess they were thinking that Bubba had gotten loose, but instead _that vamp whore broad from the barn_ emerged.

"Holy shit! What's she doing here?" Smoking man was the first to speak.

"You're asking us? We just got here."

"Oh, hi guys! I guess you remember me?"

No one answered. They were still in shock. All I needed to do was to stall them and stay alive.

Sam (in collie form) was unconscious lying on the floor but still breathing. I could hear Bubba still grunting from behind me in the closet. Within minutes, the three men had me tied to a chair in one of the classrooms kind of like Bubba, but with ropes instead of silver chains. I listened with my ears and my brain and learned that smoking man's name was Will. The other two were Arnold and Toby. Will had the gun. Arnold and Toby didn't seem to be armed. I had my keychain in my pocket, but it wasn't doing me much good.

It was hard to be certain, but I was guessing that Eric would be here within fifteen or twenty minutes now. I had no idea what had happened to Bill. I closed my eyes and tried to feel him, but his thread felt very weak. Arnold was thinking he wanted to rape me, and as sick as it sounds, I started to try and calculate how long each rape would take. They wouldn't kill me until they had each raped me, so how much time would that buy me? Toby just wanted to kill me though. So, how long would two rapes take? I was starting to feel sick.

Arnold came towards me and was licking his lips, thinking _I'll get to fuck this cunt after all and still make ten thousand dollars. All in all, a pretty good night._

I closed my eyes, waiting for him to touch me. "Wait! Ten thousand dollars? Your cut should be thirty."

He stopped and looked at me like I had just sprouted horns. "What the fuck?"

"Yeah. The Globe is ready to pay ninety thousand. Will here is planning to take seventy for himself and give you two yahoos only ten a piece. Didn't you think it was kind of fishy that he wanted to be the only one here for the meeting?"

"She's full of shit." Will was starting to sweat. "The deal was only thirty thousand."

"No. It was ninety. From the Globe. From Marilyn Michaelson. And now he's thinking he might just lock both of you in the closet with the vampire and take the whole ninety."

All three looked stunned at me and then Arnold and Toby focused on Will. Will's gun went from pointing at me to pointing at Arnold and Toby. They started to back away. I started to wonder how long it would take to shoot two men and then rape a woman.

Just then Sam came to and jumped at Will, biting his arm. The gun flew across the floor, and all three men were at each other's throats.

Sam ran around behind me and started to chew at the ropes that tied my hands together. I have to say that on those Lassie reruns, it was a lot easier for the ropes to get chewed through. In real life, it really didn't work that way. I started to tell him to get my keychain out of my pocket. It was slow-going, but he finally got the keychain out and ran around behind me and put it in my hand. I was able to open the swiss army knife and started to saw through the ropes at my wrists. The men were still beating the crap out of each other on the floor. Sam started to chew the ropes at my ankles. At this rate, we'd be here all night.

I heard a loud thump and looked over to see Arnold out cold on the floor. Uh oh. Will and Toby were still going at it. I was kind of hoping Will would win because then I'd still have the one rape to buy some time. If Toby won, I was dead.

I looked down at Sam and said, "Why don't you just shift? It might be faster." Plus if he had opposable thumbs, he could just pick up the gun and wrap up this whole shindig.

Suddenly the door flew open and Eric strode into the room. The two men stopped mid-punch and looked up at the terrifying Viking vampire. He just grabbed them by their hair and thunked their heads together. It sounded like coconuts. They slumped to the floor. He stood and looked at me and Sam.

"You made good time, honey."

"I had a little tail wind."


	18. Chapter 18

Sookie

Sam went into another classroom to shift. I explained to Eric that Bubba was tied up in the janitor's closet. Eric untied me and took Arnold's pants off of him and tossed them in to Sam.

"Are you okay, lover?"

"Yes. Thank you for coming, Eric."

"Of course. Let me see your wrists." He pricked his finger and rubbed a little blood where the rope burns were and a little scrape from Sam's teeth. I'll never watch those Lassie reruns the same way.

Eric looked me in the eye and his tone grew serious. "Did they hurt you?" I knew what he meant.

"No, you got here in time." He looked relieved. I heard a moan from Arnold on the floor. He was coming to.

Sam came back with pants on and he seemed okay. Eric said, "I'll just be a minute." He started towards the men on the floor and then stopped in his tracks as if he had just thought of something. "Sweetheart, were these men by any chance some of the ones from the barn?" He spoke to me as gently as he would a child.

"Yes, they were there that night."

He just nodded. Sam and I walked out into the hall and watched as Eric carried all three men into the janitor's closet and closed the door. Apparently at least one of the men had awakened (Arnold, maybe) because the screams got pretty loud. After a few minutes, Eric stepped out, closed the door behind him, and leaned against it. He was rubbing his hand and said, "silver chain," to Sam as way of an explanation as to why his hand hurt. Bubba was obviously still in the closet, and in a few minutes, blood started to seep from under the door. Eric looked down and then back to me.

"Go ahead."

"No. Bubba needs it. I'll wait." Then after another minute, "Maybe I'll just have another little sip. Excuse me."

He disappeared into the closet and in another minute, he and Bubba both emerged looking pink and happy. The burns around Bubba's mouth were almost healed.

"Miss Sookie! How are you? You came to help me?" I assumed he had no memory of wanting to drain me earlier.

"Yeah, I sure did. Are you okay?"

"Sure thing."

"I'm not sure if you've met Sam. Sam, this is my friend, Bubba. Sam came to help too."

"Why thank you. Thank you very much."

We all left Bubba to clean the mess. I thanked Sam profusely before he checked in with the bar. Terry still had Marilyn Michaelson busy with his stories of big foot sightings. Eric and I drove home together. I called Tara to fill her in on what had happened.

I took a bath while Eric fixed me dinner downstairs. I came down to find a delicious meal on the table and lit candles. Eric pulled the chair out for me and then sat with me while I ate.

We talked about the whole Bubba incident. We hoped that there were no more of the barn rednecks left, but I knew that vampires made enemies faster than they could kill them, so there would always be more. I finished eating and we cleaned the kitchen together. Then Eric took me by the hand and we walked out the back door into the gardens. It was a beautiful night. We walked to the Pawley's Island hammock that had been strung between two trees and Eric pulled me to him as we lay back into the hammock together.

"Thank you for tonight, Eric. For dinner, and for before. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't gotten there. I was all out of ideas."

"Of course, lover. I'm sorry I couldn't be there sooner. I tried to call Compton, but apparently he's gone to New Orleans."

"You know, you really shouldn't be mad at Bill. I don't want you beating him up every time you see him. He said if he had been aware of what was going on when I gave him blood that he would have told me not to do it. You know, because of what it means to you. All of you. You know, vampires."

"And you believe him?"

"Yes. I was there. He didn't know me. Tray and Quinn each held down a shoulder and an arm and I had my wrist over his mouth. He opened his eyes and he had that mad look—just like Bubba did tonight. He didn't recognize me. He bit my wrist and drank and then Quinn told him to stop and he did. When he woke up later, he knew me. And by then I had figured out that there was blood in the infirmary, so I didn't have to feed him again."

"He didn't bite your neck?"

"No. Of course not. I was afraid of him, but I felt like there was no other choice, so I let him bite my wrist. It was about as clinical as you can get. Trust me. If Quinn and Tray hadn't been there, I never would have tried it."

"Did you feel lust from him?"

"Lust? I was worried out of my mind that my husband was missing, most likely burned up by the sun. I thought you were dead. There was no lust on that ship. There was only fear and grief and misery."

"I'm sorry, lover. I hadn't thought of it that way. I was just so jealous."

"So, do you forgive me?"

"Yes. Of course. I know that you didn't realize what it would mean to me. I'm sorry I lost my temper." He hugged me to him and I rested my head on his chest. "And have you forgiven me?"

I started to cry. "I don't know if I can, Eric. I'm still so upset about it."

"I'm so sorry, lover. It was an insensitive and cruel thing to say. To compare you to a fangbanger was just horrible and ridiculous. I was angry. Can't you please try and forgive me? Please, lover."

"Well, of course I can about that. I know you were mad. But the sex." I wept into his chest. "Eric, I don't know how to get past that. You act like it was no big deal, but to me…"

"WHAT SEX?" He sat up and took me by the shoulders and looked me in the eye. "What sex?"

"That night. After our fight. At Fangtasia."

He gave me a blank look. "I didn't go to Fangtasia."

"Well, wherever you went. I don't know. I felt it, Eric."

"Felt what?"

"Lust. You know, sex. I knew when you were doing it." His brow was really furrowed.

"Sookie. Good gods, I would never have had sex with anyone else. I went to Bon Temps. I walked the road where you picked me up when I was cursed. I sat in the trees. I flew to Compton's. Shit. That's it. Goddamn blood bond."

"What. What's it?"

"I saw a fangba…a woman…leaving Compton's that night. I felt your crying. You must have felt him having sex. Good gods, Sookie. You thought that it was me?"

"It wasn't you? Are you sure?"

He started to smile and hugged me to him tightly, "Of course I'm sure, my love. Sookie, I would never cheat on you."

"But you were so mad when you left here."

"Yes, I was. But I would never cheat on you. Never. Never." He started to kiss me. On my face, my eyes, my lips. "Oh my poor lover. No wonder. I'm so sorry."


	19. Chapter 19

Sookie

I felt such a mountain of relief after finding out that Eric had not cheated on me. Suddenly our ridiculously upsetting conversation about forgiveness the night before made sense. He thought I was talking about the comment he made in our fight, and while, it was a horrible thing to say, it was not nearly on the same level of horrible as having sex with someone else. This is probably one of those things we'll look back on someday and laugh about.

Eric kept checking his watch while we were in the hammock. I was kind of hoping for a little makeup hammock nookie, but he seemed distracted. Finally, I asked, "Do you need to be somewhere or something?"

"No, lover. But I do have a little surprise for you. Actually, I can't take the credit. It wasn't my idea. You'll see. Why don't you run upstairs and freshen up and give me about fifteen minutes. I'll come and get you, okay?" He had such a sweet smile on his face, I couldn't say no.

I washed the tears away and put on a pretty slip dress and felt much better. When Eric knocked on the door, it felt like he was picking me up for a date and I actually felt shy and excited. "You look beautiful, lover. I hope you like your surprise."

Eric led me downstairs and out to the patio past the pool where there was an outdoor fireplace and cozy seating. The fire was lit and little twinkle lights had been strung in the trees. Standing by the fireplace was a grinning Bubba holding an acoustic guitar, and I put my hands over my mouth and gasped when realized what my surprise was.

"Hey, Miss Sookie! I hope it's okay that I came to your house. Mr. Eric said it was okay."

"Of course, Bubba. How nice to see you again."

"I wanted to say thank you again for coming to help me tonight. It's not very often that somebody helps me out like that, especially a human. You could have been hurt bad."

"You're very welcome, Bubba. It was the least I could do after all the times you've been there to protect me."

"Well, I brought my guitar and wanted to sing you some songs if that's okay."

"I would love that."

We all found a seat. Eric and I snuggled on the sofa. Bubba sat in the chair by the fire. Eric gave my shoulder a squeeze and we exchanged a smile as our private little concert began.

We were serenaded by the master for over an hour. Every song was an acoustic version of a favorite familiar classic of his. His voice was as smooth as velvet. Eric and I just sat and listened in awe and then when it came time for the last song, Bubba said, "Why don't ya'll dance to this one. It's one of my favorites." And we stood and slowly rocked in each other's arms to the sweetest version of Love Me Tender I have ever heard. It was a magical night, a most excellent surprise.

After Bubba left, Eric and I climbed the stairs still hypnotized by the beautiful music. We stood by his bed and continued our slow dance in silence. Eric was kissing my neck and shoulder. I closed my eyes and threaded my fingers through his hair and held him to me. He pulled back and looked me in the eye. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that pain, thinking I had cheated, lover. I had no idea."

"I'm just so glad we talked about it, honey."

"I am yours, Sookie. Don't ever doubt that. For as long as we both shall live."

The kiss started as a soft brush of his lips on mine. Then it was a little stronger. His tongue touched my lips and I opened my mouth. The passion started to build. We were both softly moaning. His hands pushed the straps of my dress down and I felt it fall to the floor. Eric's hungry mouth left mine and he roughly sucked first one nipple and then the other. He got down on his knees and pulled my panties down for me to step out of. He gently lifted one thigh and placed it over his shoulder while his tongue found a favorite spot. I was holding onto Eric's hair and grinding into him with pleasure. Soon I started to wonder if my remaining leg would hold me up much longer. I was getting close and then suddenly I couldn't wait any longer. "Eric, I need you inside of me." He was happily lost in his own world. "Eric! Now!"

That got his attention. He stopped what he was doing and stripped with vampire speed and before I could even register it, he was sitting in front of me on the bed, arms outstretched and ready. I stepped forward and carefully straddled his lap, lowering myself onto his massive erection. He held my hips and gently guided me. Within three or four strokes, I had taken him all in. I gave a significant grind when I hit bottom and said into his ear, "mine."

"Oh yes, lover. All yours." We started slowly and soon found a powerful rhythm that pleased us both. Eric took his hands from my hips and began massaging my breasts while burying his face between them. Good thing he didn't need to breath. As we were nearing the grand finale, I watched him pull his head back slightly and study my breasts with half-closed eyes. I knew that he was seeing all the tiny fang marks and I could see that he was so turned on by that sight. He was mesmerized by the view and gruffly whispered, mostly to himself, "mine." Then his eyes settled on one spot and he sunk his fangs in as we climaxed together. It felt so good to be back.


	20. Chapter 20

Sookie

I woke the next day feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I had had the most relaxing little private concert and a most fulfilling passion session with my very talented and sexy husband. But most importantly, my marriage was still intact. Wondering how Eric and I could ever repair the pain he had caused me with his infidelity had been eating away at me. It was like a rock in my stomach that would never go away. Only, now it was gone. Just like that. It was a beautiful day.

I got dressed and made my daily drive to Bon Temps. I called Tara and asked what she'd like for lunch and stopped on my way. We spread out at the bridal consulting table and enjoyed our sandwiches. Tara noticed a definite lift in my mood and asked what was going on. I gave her the cliff notes, not feeling comfortable discussing my marriage issues with a new widow, but she really seemed interested in hearing about what was going on with me. Finally, she said, "Look, I know you feel awkward talking about Eric with me. I am obviously still a wreck over the loss of JB, but seeing you so happy in your marriage makes me feel better. It gives me hope that there might be happiness out there waiting for me again someday. I love you like a sister, Sookie, and I want you to be happy. You've been such a good friend to me. And you've been through so much lately. You certainly deserve happiness. You and Eric need to get back to the business of being happy newlyweds." Then her face lit up like she had a brilliant idea and she proceeded to tell me what she wanted me to do.

Eric

I was extremely displeased that Sookie took it upon herself to try and rescue Bubba alone and before dusk. Thank gods I was able to get to her in time. She is so brave, but it scares me how close she has come to being killed through her bravery. I can't help but think that Sookie would be safer at our beach house than she is here in Louisiana. I long for our return there, but I know that she still feels an obligation to her friend, Tara.

I was pleased to be able to finally get my hands on some of the bastards from the barn. Unfortunately, only one remained conscious by the time I got them into the closet and out of Sookie's sight. I enjoyed his torture and excruciatingly painful death immensely although it was a bit brief. But I didn't want to keep Sookie waiting. She'd been through enough.

After we got home she gave me a more detailed account of being bitten by Compton on the ship, and while it was difficult to hear it, I was relieved that it was much less upsetting than the fantasy I had concocted in my own jealous imagination. She thought that she was saving a person who had saved her, and her heart was in the right place. I also hadn't even thought of how traumatized she must have been at that point, thinking that I had met the sun. My poor Sookie. She had been through so much and then her husband yelled at her for her kind act towards a friend. I know, I know…I'm working on it.

Then I felt even worse when I realized that she thought that I had cheated on her. When I think of her reading my note asking for forgiveness that next morning…well, it was just an awful misunderstanding. I can't even imagine how devastating it must have been for her trying to come to terms with it when I seemed to be so nonchalant. I even said that I couldn't promise it would never happen again. My gods. That must have felt like a punch in the stomach to her.

That painful misunderstanding also made me realize how alone she must feel in trying to deal with the double bond. It is so bizarre that a human is bonded to two different vampires. I don't think I have ever even heard of it happening before. But then my Sookie is certainly an individual, isn't she? She has most likely avoided discussing it with me, and who could blame her? But her vampire husband is the one person she should be able to go to for advice and support. She should not have to bear this burden alone.

I watched Sookie sleeping peacefully beside me before dawn and vowed to be a better husband. She makes me want to be a better man.

I woke the following night to the sounds of Sookie running around in my room, busy with some sort of project. I opened my eyes and saw her rummaging through my closet, giving me a perfect view of that beautiful ass in a pair of jeans that fit her just right. I snuck up behind her and grabbed her, burying my face into her neck. "Oh good! You're awake! You can help me."

I simply growled in response and pressed myself suggestively into her soft warm behind. "Um, yes, that's great, honey. Really." She turned around and ran her hands quickly over my chest and arms. "You're beautiful and wonderful and I love you and want you." Her hands kept going down my body and then she bent and gave a quick peck of a kiss to the tip of my very ready erection. "Mmm. Beautiful. But we've really got to hurry." And then she walked into the bathroom.

I shook my head and started to follow her, but then she emerged with some toiletries and walked to the chair across from the bed that I now noticed had my open suitcase in it. "You're packing."

"Yep. Get dressed, baby. We need to be at the airport in thirty minutes." She started back to the closet.

"Wait. Where are we going?" I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me.

She planted a quick warm wet kiss on my lips and said, "We're going home."

"Well, why didn't you just say so?"

Sometimes that vampire speed comes in really handy. We made our flight and I carried her into the beach house with hours to spare before dawn.

I set her down and we ran like kids out the back door and down to the beach. Hand in hand, we ran along the water laughing and smiling at the joy of our return to our favorite place. This is where we made love in the rain, kissed by the moonlight, exchanged our wedding vows. This is our special place that feels like home to us more than any other. We slowed our walk and finally stopped and held each other. I inhaled the sea air and her scent. She ran her fingers through my hair, and just before our lips met, we both whispered together, "Welcome home."

XXX

A/N: Please check my profile for more Sookie and Eric stories. (A very naughty one-shot companion piece to this series called Dear Diary will be next followed by a new all human story, Love Isn't Easy.) Thanks so much for reading!


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